Meritor Announces New Products, New Brand and Redesigned Components

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Transport Topics  /  September 25, 2017

ATLANTA — Meritor Inc. announced new electrified axles, a value brand and refinements to existing components.

The company made its announcements at the inaugural North American Commercial Vehicle Show here Sept. 26.

Meritor is developing a platform of electric drive axles and suspensions as well as supporting systems, joining several suppliers’ emphasis on a range of electric solutions for the commercial vehicle market.

“Essentially, we’re focusing on integrating an electric motor into the differential carrier,” Meritor CEO Jay Craig said in a statement.

Its “e-carrier” design will be the foundation for various drivetrain configurations, including full electric, hybrid, single or tandem axles with various options based on application, according to Craig — including city delivery, medium-duty and transit bus, as well as off-road and severe-duty applications.

Also, the company will offer braking systems optimized for e-axles. The next generation of its hydraulic and air disc brakes has been designed for use on hybrid or electric vehicles with regenerative braking. Both brake systems reduce weight on wheel-ends, according to Craig.

In addition, Meritor announced a new value brand called Mach for global aftermarket customers seeking all-makes products designed and engineered to industry standards at affordable prices, according to the company.

The brand is for second as well as third owners of trucks. The Mach-branded products include an assortment of suspension, steering, brake and drivetrain components that will be available initially in North America before the end of 2017 and will launch in Europe, South America and Australia at a later date, according to Meritor. Mach brand products come with a standard one-year warranty

Plus, the company announced its automatic tire inflation system for trailers will include the ThermALERT wheel-end heat-sensing system as standard beginning in October 2017. The system immediately alerts drivers to overheating wheel-ends, increasing safety and minimizing vehicle downtime as well as costs, according to the company.

Lastly, Meritor redesigned its EX+ air disc brake for tractors and trailers to reduce product weight by 10 pounds per brake, and it will be available to OEMs in 2018. Additionally, Meritor air disc brakes are compatible with most collision mitigation systems currently on the market, according to the company.

Meritor Inc. is a leading global supplier of drivetrain, mobility, braking and aftermarket solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets.

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Meritor developing electric solutions platform for commercial vehicles

Green Car Congress  /  September 27, 2017

Meritor is developing a platform of electric drive axles and suspensions as well as supporting systems to position Meritor as a leader in electric solutions for the commercial vehicle market.

“Essentially, we’re focusing on integrating an electric motor into the differential carrier,” said Jay Craig, CEO and president for Meritor. “As we look to future emissions regulations and our customers’ desire for more efficiency, we’re developing new and innovative solutions to expand our product portfolio.”

Meritor’s flexible e-carrier design will be the foundation for various drivetrain configurations, including full electric, hybrid, single or tandem axles with various options based on application, according to Craig. Designed for city-delivery, medium-duty and transit bus, as well as off-road and severe-duty applications, the electrified, lightweight carrier offers several benefits over remote-mounted electric motor configurations.

Meritor designed the e-carrier as a drop-in replacement of a conventional mechanical carrier that does not disrupt axle or suspension packaging. Because the electric motor is integrated into the axle, space is freed up for batteries and other electrical components, offering easier packaging and installation and a safer, more protected location inside the frame rails to mount the batteries. The solution also eliminates cost and weight associated with a driveline and mounting a remote motor with brackets.

The following near-term electrified product solutions are under development by Meritor:

·         Integrated two-speed electric carrier platform capable of delivering 150-200 kilowatts of continuous power for mounting on existing axle platforms, fitting a wide variety of applications on rigid and independent suspensions.

·         13Xe rigid axle, capable of 200 kW of continuous power and featuring customizable gearing to cover linehaul, school bus, refuse, pickup and delivery, utility and other applications.

·         Electric-driving independent suspension for applications such as military, emergency, off-highway and construction vehicles that will benefit from increased performance as well as better ride comfort and handling.

·         Electric eCorner module for low-floor applications such as medium-duty Classes 4 and 5, pickup and delivery and transit buses.

Meritor will also offer braking systems optimized for e-axles. The Next Generation Quadraulic brake and Next Generation Air Disc Brake have been designed for use on hybrid or electric vehicles with regenerative braking. Both brakes reduce weight on wheel-ends, according to Craig.

Each of these product solutions focuses on increased fuel economy and efficient performance as well as drivability, emphasizing on-demand torque response of the electric motors. The components will be part of a demonstration vehicle to be built in 2018, with production beginning as early as 2019.

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Meritor to Start Testing Electric Drivetrain Next Year

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  September 26, 2017

ATLANTA –  As Meritor works to stay ahead in an industry facing the most rapid change CEO Jay Craig says he’s ever seen, the company announced it’s developing a new portfolio of electric drivetrains.

Meritor announced at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show that it is developing a platform of electric drive axles and suspensions as well as supporting systems “to position Meritor as a leader in electric solutions for the commercial vehicle market.”

It also announced an improved air disc brake and a new low-cost aftermarket brand.

“You’re seeing part of the Renaissance of Meritor,” Craig said. About a year into its three-year M2019 plan focusing on revenue growth, the company continues to press forward with its goal to roll out at least 20 new products during that three-year time frame.

“We're also committed to electrification,” Craig said. “We’ve had a lot of interest from OEs on how we can start to work with them to launch demonstrator and production vehicles as well. We have a product for every category of the commercial vehicle market,” he said, including trucks, buses, and delivery vans.  “We offer the complete portfolio and our plan is to continue to be the drivetrains leader – no matter where the industry evolves.”

The electric drivetrains address several trends in the industry, said Cheri Lantz, vice president and chief strategy officer: the increasing quest for efficiency, global emissions regulations, and the advancement of electrification as technology improves and battery costs come down.

Essentially, Meritor is focusing on integrating an electric motor into the differential carrier.  The flexible e-carrier design will be the foundation for various drivetrain configurations, including full electric, hybrid, single or tandem axles with various options based on application. Designed for city-delivery, medium-duty and transit bus, as well as off-road and severe-duty applications, the electrified, lightweight carrier offers several benefits over remote-mounted electric motor configurations.

Meritor designed the e-carrier as a drop-in replacement of a conventional mechanical carrier that does not disrupt axle or suspension packaging. Because the electric motor is integrated into the axle, space is freed up for batteries and other electrical components, offering easier packaging and installation and a safer, more protected location inside the frame rails to mount the batteries. The design also eliminates cost and weight associated with a driveline and mounting a remote motor with brackets.

The following near-term electrified product solutions are under development by Meritor:
    •    Integrated two-speed electric carrier platform capable of delivering 150-200 kilowatts of continuous power for mounting on existing axle platforms, fitting a wide variety of applications on rigid and independent suspensions
    •    13Xe rigid axle, capable of 200 kilowatts of continuous power and featuring customizable gearing to cover linehaul, school bus, refuse, pickup and delivery, utility and other applications
    •    Electric-driving independent suspension for applications such as military, emergency, off-highway and construction vehicles that will benefit from increased performance as well as better ride comfort and handling
    •    Electric eCorner module for low-floor applications such as medium-duty Class 4 and 5 pickup and delivery vehicles and transit buses.

Meritor says it’s taking an integrated approach to electrification, so it will also offer braking systems optimized for e-axles. The Next Generation Quadraulic brake and Next Generation Air Disc Brake have been designed for use on hybrid or electric vehicles with regenerative braking.

“Both take advantage of the lighter duty cycle in an electric vehicle,” explained Lantz. “You have regenerative braking so you don't use the brakes as much, so we have been able to reduce wearable content and save cost and weight on the braking systems.”

The components will be part of a demonstration vehicle to be built in 2018, with production beginning as early as 2019.

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Meritor Offers Improved Version of Air Disc Brake

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  September 26, 2017

ATLANTA – Meritor announced its EX+ air disc brake for tractors and trailers has been optimized to reduce product weight and total cost of ownership. The optimized EX+ will be available to OEMs in 2018.

"We're focused on product development to make air disc brake sytems more lightweight and cost effective," explained T.J. Reed, vice president, front drivetrain, North America, at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show. He pointed out that Meritor has been designing and manufacturing brakes for more than 100 years. "You may think of Meritor as a drivetrain or axle company, but ... we had first axle brake integration program right before World War I."

Meritor engineers reduced the weight of the caliper by 10 pounds without offsetting any brake performance, Reed said. "We are so confident that we improved the warranty to 5 years/500,000 miles for linehaul applications."

The gear-synchronized, twin-piston design of the new EX+ delivers even force across the brake pads simultaneously, resulting in better performance and uniform pad wear. The EX+ optimized ADB offers shorter and smoother stopping distances and reduced brake fade. A patented double-sealing technology minimizes water exposure to seal the EX+ for life. It simplifies pad service steps – including 30-minute pad changes – and lowers maintenance costs with faster inspection and repair times.

"Fleets are beginning to see the benefits of air disc brakes, especially in safety and performance," said Chris Villavarayan, president, Americas for Meritor. "We have validated the EX+ in the most severe conditions to deliver superior performance and lower lifecycle costs."

Reed also noted that Meritor air disc brakes are compatible with most collision mitigation systems currently on the market. Fleets can also specify drum brakes on rear axles and ADBs on the front.

Meritor's improved standard warranty now offers coverage of five years and 500,000 miles for both parts and labor on linehaul applications when specified with Meritor's exclusive friction. Meritor brakes are backed by DriveForce^™ – Meritor's North America sales and service organization – to assist customers before, during and after the sale.

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Meritor optimizes air disc brakes

Today’s Trucking  /  September 27, 2017

ATLANTA, GA – Meritor has unveiled an optimized EX+ air disc brake that will be available to Original Equipment Manufacturers in 2018.

“By updating and optimizing the EX+, our engineers reduced weight by 10 pounds per brake to offer the lightest-weight truck (air disc brake) on the market while also maintaining reliability, said Chris Villavarayan, Meritor’s president – Americas.

The gear-synchronized, twin-piston design applies an even level of force across the brake pads, leading to better performance and uniform pad wear, the company says. As an air disc brake it also offers shorter and smoother stopping distances and reduced brake fade. A patented double seal minimizes water exposure to seal the EX+ for life, Meritor adds.

Pads can be changed in just 30 minutes, while the unit as a whole promises to lower maintenance costs with faster inspection and repair times.

“Fleets are beginning to see the benefits of air disc brakes, especially in safety and performance,” Villavarayan said.

The Meritor discs are compatible with most collision mitigation systems in the market, while fleets also have the option of specifying drum brakes on rear axles and air disc brakes in the front.

Parts and labor carry a five-year/800,000-kilometer warranty in linehaul applications when the brakes are spec’d with Meritor’s friction material.

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ThermALERT to be standard on MTIS

Today’s Trucking  /  September 27, 2017

ATLANTA, GA – Meritor will make the ThermALERT wheel-end heat-sensing system standard on its MTIS (Meritor Tire Inflation System) automatic tire inflation system for trailers beginning in October.

ThermALERT uses an indicator light to notify drivers about overheating wheel ends. Given enough advance warning, that can help avoid axle or suspension replacements, the company says.

“Drivers can stop their vehicles safely and avoid potentially dangerous conditions,” said Rob Speed, president – aftermarket and trailer.

Meritor will also offer a five-year warranty and will not place an addition premium on MTIS.

MTIS is currently supporting more than 1.4 million trailers and 6 million tires around the world.

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Meritor announces new electric drivetrain components

Jeff Crissey, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ)  /  September 27, 2017

In response to the growing trend of electric powertrains, Meritor has launched its M 2019 initiative that includes a suite of electric drive axles and suspensions aimed at medium-duty, city-delivery, transit-bus and severe-duty applications that could be production-ready as early 2019.

“Essentially, we’re focusing on integrating an electric motor into the differential carrier,” said Jay Craig, CEO and president for Meritor. “As we look to future emissions regulations and our customers’ desire for more efficiency, we’re developing new and innovative solutions to expand our product portfolio.”

The e-carrier, an electrified and lightweight replacement for a mechanical carrier, can house various drivetrain configurations, including full electric, hybrid, single or tandem axles depending on application. The electric motor is integrated into the axle, allowing room for batteries and other electrical components.

Meritor’s 13Xe rigid axle can deliver 200 kilowatts of continuous power and featuring customizable gearing to cover line-haul, school bus, refuse, pickup and delivery, utility and other applications.

Other related electrified product solutions include an independent suspension for applications such as military, emergency, off-highway and construction vehicles that will benefit from increased performance and an eCorner module for low-floor applications such as medium-duty Classes 4 and 5, pickup and delivery and transit buses.

Meritor will also offer Quadraulic and next-generation air disc braking systems optimized for use on hybrid or electric vehicles with regenerative braking.

“These emerging electric solutions reflect Meritor’s commitment to develop axle, suspension and brake technologies that support our technology roadmaps and future product plans based on our customers’ needs,” said Craig.

New air disc brake

Also announced at the North American Commercial Vehicle show in Atlanta, Meritor said its EX+ air disc brake for tractor and trailer will be available beginning in 2018. The new brake is 10 pounds lighter than previous versions and features a gear-synchronized, twin-piston design to deliver even force across the brake pads.

Value brand replacement parts

Meritor also introduced Mach, a value-brand replacement parts program for end users looking for affordable parts across all makes from a Tier 1 supplier.

“With a rise in the number of competitors selling products at various price points and quality levels, Meritor’s Mach brand will offer a wide range of replacement part options at affordable prices that are validated by our engineers,” said Rob Speed, Meritor’s president of aftermarket & trailer.

The program will launch by yearend 2017 and include suspension, steering, brake and drivetrain components.

ThermAlert now standard

Finally, Meritor announced its ThermAlert wheel-end heat sensing system is standard on its MTIS automatic tire inflation systems for trailers. The system alerts the driver of high wheel-end temperatures with an indicator light to help minimize damage to axle and suspension. Meritor also is increasing the warranty for MTIS to five years.

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Meritor CEO Predicts Electrified Future

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  September 28, 2017

“There is a sea change in our industry with regard to electrification of the drivetrain,” said Jay Craig, CEO of Meritor, at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show. The actual percentage of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that will be fully electric or hybrid electric by 2025, he said, is not as important as the surety that the number will be more than it is today.

Speaking to a room full of hundreds of trucking industry component suppliers at the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association Breakfast & Briefing, Craig laid out three reasons he’s confident that electrified drivetrains will have an increasing place in the commercial vehicle industry.

The day before, Meritor had announced it will start testing an electric drivetrain for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles next year.

Why Electric Vehicles are Coming

"Electrification has already begun," Craig said. China, he said, leads the world in electric trucks, with roughly 4% fully electric today. It’s expected that will increase to about 15% by 2025. “You may say 15% isn’t all the mjuch, but try to remember, they produce 800,000 commercial vehicles a year,” he said.

While other regions of the world are not as far ahead in adoption, he said, “I’m confident we will see much more rapid acceleration,” in part simply due to the sheer scale of development in China, which will drive down the cost of battery technology due to economies of scale.

In addition, he said, driven by the growth in China, those technologies are being proven. He noted that products from Jing-Jin Electric (JJE), which makes electric motors and drive assemblies for vehicles, also has a North American presence, with its products being used on the U.S. West Coast and in Europe, “and they have an excellent quality record.”

Craig also said that the commercial vehicle industry has even more reason to buy electrified drivetrains than passenger cars, and that is because for commercial fleet operations, purchase price is only part of the consideration. Yes, he said, the price for electric vehicles is higher up front, “but in this industry we look at payback, we look at usage.” Fewer moving parts that need to be repaired or replaced in electrified vehicles, he said, will help drive a favorable payback analysis.

“Six months ago we didn't read in the press all that many articles about electrification in the commercial vehicle industry,” he said. “Now there’s not a day that goes by with our industry publications of the general media that you don't see some article about electrification, whether ti's Nikola or Tesla or Cummins or Navistar – nearly every day you see an OE or a supplier or a new entrant to the market talking about electrification.”

Craig showed the audience a graph illustrating how long it took various technologies to reach 50 million users. It took the telephone 75 years. It took the Angry Birds game app 35 days.  “I'm not here to argue that electrification in our industry is going to move as fast as Angry Birds,” Craig said,” but it’ll be a lot faster than the phone — maybe more like the Internet at 4 years or television at 13 years.

Beyond the Engine

The adoption of electrification, Craig said, will affect more than engine makers. Transmissions, for instance, will change dramatically. They only need two or three speeds, and they could move to a different part of the vehicle — the axle, the wheel end, or within the electric motor itself.

Brakes are another. With regenerative braking, the demands on the friction foundation brake are reduced significantly, Craig said. “They’re there for emergency stoping basically.” So they can be lighter and smaller, and the frequency of replacement will decline significantly.
“And for everyone who makes accessories you should think about electrification of those accessories that are now being driven off the engine, driven by belts,” he said, noting that Wabco and Bendix already are making electric air compressors.

And the chassis, he said, could be completely reconfigured. He showed a photo of a new electric van being tested by the UK’s Royal Mail, with a much lower chassis. Electric vehicles, he said, “create enormous freedom for creating a vehicle that’s most efficient for the user. Those in the chassis segment should be thinking more creatively about what they will look like in the future.”

What to Watch

Craig pointed to three trends to watch that will drive more adoption of electrified powertrains in commercial vehicles.

Emissions — around the world, countries, states and even cities are enacting regulations limiting emissions. Some cities are even planning to ban vehicles driven only by internal combustion engines.

Battery costs — the batteries are the single most expensive component of an electric vehicle, Craig said, but those costs are rapidly coming down. Light vehicles already are starting to touch $150 per kilowatt-hour, and Craig said at that point, you’re looking at a break-even point of about two to two and a half years.

Weight — The weight of large banks of batteries is a problem in an industry where cargo capacity is a key factor in profitability. “Weight is starting to becoming [less of an] issue, as batteries become much more power dense, and there are new materials being brought into that industry right now.”

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